Mini Arena 2

[etcircenses]

Tributes are woken early, and the hovercraft ride is a long one. Not the longest some have experienced, but they are clearly going far.

25 - 24 - 23

They land on the deck of the boat, and are ushered underneath, to the lower levels, quickly. Their stylists go from cabin to cabin, decking them out in over the top finery, before loading them into the pods installed into the corners of the rooms.

20 - 19 - 18 - 17 - 16

The platforms lift them up, and they are all ringed around a grand buffet table, loaded with a grand feast looking ready to sag down from the weight. Among the food are supplies, plenty of them, all for the taking.

11- 10 - 9 - 8

They've all been warned, don't step off your pedestal early. They have also been warned to put on a good show. That's all this is about, a good show. None of them have been told that there can be multiple winners this time around.

5 - 4

3

2

The sound of the gong plays crystal clear across the opening. The games have begun.

Comments

[rediscover]

[Her breaths are shuddering, but they're getting less erratic, and after a minute Anna opens her eyes again and gives her savior a weak smile.]

Okay. I...I think I'm a bit better, thanks. [At least now she has something better to think about than her parents, about her lungs being crushed by icy water. Maybe--maybe she can do this.]

Anna. I'm Anna. [She looks up at him with wide blue eyes, and she's comforted by the fact that he has a kind face. Honest-looking. He seems trustworthy.]

[aboveangrybees]

[Seeing her calming down is heartening, he'd been unsure if she could overcome the trauma enough to do so. She's a strong girl.]

Alright, Anna, I'm going to need you to do something for me, okay? It's scary and you have a lot more to be brave about, but I need you to let go of the banister. [He gives her a reassuring look, his hand not leaving her arm yet, staying a connection between them. Proof he's still there.]

I'm not going anywhere, you can even hold on to me instead. [He offers his arm to her.]

[rediscover]

[Anna lets out another long, shaky breath.] Okay. Okay. I...I got this.

[She's totally got this. Slowly, reluctantly, her fingers loosen, cramped from holding on so tightly, and then she's letting go completely, only to loop her arm through Steve's. It's embarrassing, how scared she is, but the way the deck is beginning to tilt has her all kinds of freaked out. She gives him a sheepish smile.]

Sorry, I'm so sorry, I've just, you know. Never been on a sinking death trap before.

[aboveangrybees]

[Steve places a hand over the arm she looped through his] It's fine, if there was ever a time to be freaked out over something, a sinking death trap is probably the best. So, you're doing great.

[He moves to lead her up the stairs and away from the steadily rising water.] How about we head to higher ground?

[rediscover]

[There's something calming about his demeanor, the steadiness of him, even though physically he should be intimidating.]

Haha, sounds fantastic, actually. [She forces herself to lift one foot after another, thankfully freed of the bulk of her gown by some inspired hand-ripped alterations, careful not to slip barefoot on the slippery steps. She glances briefly over his clothing, realizing that the color of his suit is the same as Dave's.]

Wait--you're in the same district as my sister!

[aboveangrybees]

[Steve paces himself to her, letting her set the speed and be as careful as she needs to be. If it gets bad he can always scoop her up and hoof it, but right now he wants her to find her own courage in all this. He has patience when he needs it.

The declaration gets raised eyebrows.]

Am I? [He gives her a curious look. She does look familiar, so maybe that shouldn't be surprising to hear, but he's not positive who.] What's her name? Good chance I know her.

[rediscover]

Mmhm! [She jinxes herself and slips anyway, almost going down on her knees and staying up only thanks to Steve's arm and the railing still present beside her.] Whoa--I'm good. I'm good.

[The princess looks up at Steve and grins, but her eyes are tight, because she can't help but think how Elsa must feel, watching all this.] Her name's Elsa. She looks like me, only taller, and prettier, and blonde.

[aboveangrybees]

[Steve moves to help steady her, but backs off a little when she says she's good.

Though the mention of Elsa makes his eyebrows go up, especially as he notes how similar they really do look. Probably should have realized it earlier, but he's trying to keep from assuming too much around here. There's duplicates and more after all.]

Elsa, yeah, I can see the similarities, though, I'm not sure about prettier. I think it's something you two have in common.

[rediscover]

[She can't help but turn a little pink, especially since all the cold and wet has her skin turning a clammy pale already.]

Oh, um. [She laughs, lowering her gaze to concentrate on the stairs.] Thank you. That's so nice of you to say.

[Mercifully, they reach the top of the staircase, and Anna looks around, feeling a bit silly that she was so scared to climb a few stairs.]

Um--thank you. For helping me. I guess I just sort of froze up back there.

[aboveangrybees]

Just being honest. [Even if she's looking down, he gives her a boyishly charming smile, though he doesn't intend it to be that. She really is just as pretty as Elsa, just younger, maybe more on the cuter side.

He shakes his head at her thanks. In the end, he's just happy to have helped her through this, so no need for thanks.]

It's fine, you did most of the work. Fear can be paralyzing, but you overcame it.

[rediscover]

[Anna seriously can't handle handsome men complimenting her. It should be illegal probably, why haven't they outlawed that yet? She glances up just in time to catch that smile and she could faint if she wasn't too scared of falling back down those stairs. So for a moment she laughs quietly, complacently instead of risking sounding silly.]

Well...still. It means a lot to me. Even if it's probably sort of hopeless either way.

[aboveangrybees]

Don't give up so fast, you never know, if you keep going, keep trying, you could win this.

[He heard the last limited arena there were several winners, but there's no knowing if this arena will afford them the same thing. Telling her that could offer a false hope, so he keeps that to himself. No, he honestly believes she could win if she tires.]

As much as I can help you, I will.